As of this month, Florida requires home inspectors to be licensed. The new regulations also require inspectors to complete ongoing education courses and to undergo background checks, measures intended to better protect consumers.

In response to my recent Your Money column that suggested readers contact a home inspector to ensure their homes are properly fortified for hurricane protection, Joey Caballero, a former president of the Florida Association of Building Inspectors contacted me and requested I pass on this helpful information.

The new regulation requires that home inspectors receive 120 hours of education, carry proper insured and are tested regularly, said Caballero, who co-owns 5th Avenue Building Inspections of Boynton Beach.

“The home inspection profession has worked on licensing for over 15 years. I have been involved for the last 12 years and feel strongly that this will help consumers,” Caballero said. “Prior to licensing anyone could [claim to be] a home inspector.”

Comments (3 Comments)

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That’s great news! Licensing will go a long way towards making sure consumers get the information they need when purchasing a home. However, licensing requirements are only the bare minimum standards; Make sure the inspector you hire is also a member of a national association that requires its members to take continuing education and to abide by a code of ethics. The best way to find a qualified, Certified Home Inspector is by visiting http://www.ashi.org, the website of the American Society of Home Inspectors.